Our Mission

The nonprofit BRAVE Lab supports translational research designed to foster positive, accepting communities free from bullying and other negative behaviors. Studies conducted through the Lab focus on identifying and addressing the complex personal, social and cultural factors underlying such behaviors, thereby advancing practical solutions to promote healthy relationships within families, schools and communities.

The Target Bullying Research Project was initiated in 1998. The Target Bullying Research lab has supported studies examining bullying prevention and intervention among school-aged youth. Since its inception, the project's studies have analyzed bullying through the lens of both cross-sectional and longitudinal research designs. In exploring the relationship between bullying and mental health, we have examined:

  • the interactions among depression, anxiety and involvement in bullying
  • the links among aggression, anger and bullying
  • the effects of a cognitive-behavioral intervention on reducing bullying behaviors
  • the relationship between school climate and bullying behaviors
  • the development of a comprehensive survey to assess bullying / victimization / bystander behaviors

Social-Ecological Diathesis-Stress Model of Bullying

“A

(Swearer & Hymel, 2015)

Ending Bullying through Translational Research

Current Research Projects

Current research projects include: examination of a cognitive-behavioral intervention for bullying behaviors; the development of a reliable and valid measure of Kindness and Bravery; a cross-cultural examination of teacher responses to bias-based bullying situations; and examination of experiences related to the impact of COVID-19, mental health and well-being, interpersonal supports, and social media engagement. To learn more about our current work, see the below link.

Current Research

Previous Research Projects

Previous research projects have included examination of the connections among body image, medical diagnoses and victimization; school-based participatory action research and its effects on bullying; bullying's association with hazing; the correlation between bullying and empathy; and the influence of youth empowerment to reduce bullying among peers. To learn more about our previous work, see the below link.

Previous Research